作品Free Graded Reading
指The Finger
Yubi
by 佐左木 俊郎 · Sasaki Toshirō
A woman buys a turtle for its blood, then encounters a man with a crushed finger on a train.
About this story
About this storyA woman buys a turtle in Ginza and feels an unsettling presence following her.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko
Base edition (底本): 「佐左木俊郎選集」英宝社
1984（昭和59）年4月14日初版発行
Typed in by 大野晋. Proofread by 鈴木伸吾.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 2 parts.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA woman buys a softshell turtle in Ginza and takes it home via train. On the train, a man cuts his finger in the automatic door. She later realizes his severed finger is in her bag.
At home, the woman prepares to cut the turtle's head to drink its blood. She recalls the train incident. When she cuts the turtle's head, it spits out a finger segment with a nail.
The next morning, she reads a newspaper article about a pickpocket with no index finger who was arrested. The pickpocket's confession reveals he lost his finger in a woman's opera bag, and she realizes the connection.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| すっぽん | softshell turtle |
|---|---|
| 鰐皮製 | made of crocodile leather |
| ペーヴメント | pavement (archaic loanword) |
| 蟇口 | coin purse |
| ハンチング | hunting cap |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regrettable occurrence.
どうにか腰をおろして、その左脇にオペラ・バッグを置くことが出来た。
- ～なければならない N3Must do something; obligation.
彼女は、右手に、鋭利な大型の木鋏を握って、すっぽんが首を出すのを待たなければならなかった。
- ～のだ N3Explanatory emphasis; 'the fact is that...'
すっぽんの生血を取るのには、その首を出すのを待っていて、鋭利な刃物でそれを切るのだと教えられていたからであった。
- ～ながら N4While doing something; simultaneous action.
彼女は人の肩を押し分けるようにしながら、尾張町の停留所の方へ歩いた。
- ～ように N3In order to; so that; like.
彼女は人の肩を押し分けるようにしながら、尾張町の停留所の方へ歩いた。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Softshell Turtle (すっぽん) as a Health TonicIn traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine, softshell turtle (suppon) is believed to have nourishing properties, and drinking its fresh blood is thought to improve vitality and treat anemia. This practice is rare and considered extreme.
- Ginza (銀座) as a Fashionable DistrictGinza is Tokyo's upscale shopping and entertainment district, known for its bright lights and fashionable crowds. The story's setting in 'Ginza ura' (back streets of Ginza) adds an air of sophistication and anonymity.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat does the woman buy at the beginning of the story?
- A purse
- A softshell turtle
- A handkerchief
- A hat
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the narrative shift between the woman's actions and the newspaper article, as it creates a twist.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
同級More at N1
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